Ireland's babies are Irish
Note: Racist comments by Cllr Rainey start around middle of the article
More information on Rainey is available here
http://www.jonrainey.info
Government policy to deport families with Irish born children provoked a protest rally outside the Dail last week.
Residents Against Racism was joined by TD Joe Higgins (SP) during the demonstration on Thursday (July 3) organised by the pressure group's founder Roseanna Flynn and her colleague Mark Grehan.
Labour Party justice spokesman Joe Costello (Lab) TD has also been critical of Justice Minister Michael McDowell's Immigration Bill, claiming amendments have been introduced by the Minister at such a late stage it signals a "flagrant contempt" for the Dail and the legislative process.
Residents Against Racism marched with immigrant families from the Central Bank at 12 noon demanding that all children born in Ireland be given equal access to rights and the law. "All we ask is that the descendants of the new community in Ireland are given the same chances," a spokesman said.
Deputy Costello claims the changing face of the Immigration Bill - 14 pages long, with 32 pages of amendments - is a "chilling assault on the right to asylum and are in flagrant breach of the Geneva Convention on refugees."
He added: "The Human Rights Commission has been completely ignored by the Minister despite this being a vital human rights issue."
Meanwhile, Fingal councillor Jon Rainey warned racism will thrive if the Government persists along its current policy of integrating immigrants and Irish nationals. He claims the Government is treating Irish nationals as second class citizens to immigrants, which will inevitably "sow the seeds of racial unrest in future years".
The controversial statement is based, he claims, on recent census figures which suggest almost six per cent of the county's population is non-national.
Cllr Rainey has demanded the Government come clean on what additional benefits, grants and assistance is being given to immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers as "many appear to be living a live of luxury compared to struggling young Irish people. I have had many discussions with constituents in recent months, with many individuals highlighting the obvious ease non-nationals have in obtaining a house, a car, car insurance, medial cards and the latest fashions all without the need for a job," he said.
"At a time when young Irish taxpayers are struggling to own homes, educate their children and wrestling with the spiralling costs of car insurance and increased taxation, it is clear some non-nationals are either multi-millionaires, heavily subsidised by the state or fleecing the system at the expense of taxpayers."
The councillor's forthright views were expressed to The Northside People this week with the argument that Irish immigrants are prepared to work hard and contribute to the communities in which they adopt, while many of the non-nationals arriving in Ireland do not.
This is disputed by Bowale Oluwole Arisekola, from Nigeria, who moved to Ireland in 1999 and has been the publisher of the Street Journal since June 2002, a newspaper that provides information to immigrants trying to adapt to their new surrounds.
Mr Arisekola, who welcomed in December plans by the Justice Minister Michael McDowell to adopt a more selective immigration policy similar to America's and Australia's - so only those who can contribute to society gain entry into the country - believes most people who come to Ireland want to work. "If you cannot contribute to the country, you should go back to where you come from," he said. "Otherwise, what point is there in being here? They should be able to contribute to the economy but the Government must give them this opportunity – they must allow people to work."
Alleging there is a discrepancy in favour of immigrants when it comes to local authorities allocating houses for families, Cllr Rainey insists he will seek clarification from the Eastern Health Board and Mr McDowell to assess "how the present immigration policy is affecting existing stable Irish communities".
He claimed: "It is so unfair Irish people remain on housing lists for months and years while others get housed at the speed of lightening."
Northside People - 8th July 2003
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